Compass:
Spring 2004
Research
1 Miller, D.R.; Borden, J.H. 2003. Responses of Ips pini (Say),
Pityogenes knechteli Swaine, and associated beetles (Coleoptera) to host
Monoterpenes in stands of lodgepole pine. Journal of Entomological Science.
38(4): 602-611.
We conducted seven experiments in stands of mature lodgepole pine in southern
British Columbia to elucidate the role of host volatiles in the semiochemical
ecology of the pine engraver, Ips pini (Say) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae),
with particular reference to the behavioral responses of predators and competing
species of bark beetles. Our results demonstrated that the attraction of Ips
pini and the bark beetle predators Lasconotus complex LeConte (Colydiidae),
Thanasimus undatulus (Say), (Cleridae) and a Corticeus sp. (Tenebrionidae)
were increased by 3-carene. In contrast, attraction of the bark beetle
Pityogenes knechteli Swaine (Scolytidae) to ipsdienol was interrupted by
3-carene and α-pinene.
Attraction of L. complex to ipsdienol was increased by
γ-terpinene, a compound
attractive to the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins (Scolytidae).
Terpinolene interrupted the attraction of I. pini to ipsdienol.
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2 Eckhardt, Lori G.; Goyer, Richard A.; Klepzig, Kier D.; Jones, John P.
2004. Interactions of Hylastes species (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) with
Leptographium species associated with loblolly pine decline. Journal
of Economic Entomology. 97 (2): 468-474.
Hylastes spp. (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) were evaluated as potential
vectors of Leptographium spp. fungi. Bark beetles were trapped from
stands of loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., exhibiting a range of decline
symptoms in central Alabama. Under controlled conditions, field-collected adult
Hylastes salebrosus Eichoff (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) and Hylastes
tenuis Eichoff (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), which had been surface sterilized
and inoculated with Leptographium terebrantis Barras & Perry and
Leptographium serpens (Goid.) Wingfield, transmitted the fungi into 100
percent of wounded and unwounded loblolly root sections with which they were
confined. None of the sterilized and uninoculated beetles transmitted any
Leptographium spp. to roots. Significantly more H. salebrosus and
H. tenuis brood emerged from roots infected with Leptographium
species than from sterile roots, indicating an enhancement of Hylastes
reproduction.
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3 Burke, Marianne K.; King, Sammy L.; Gartner, David; Eisenbies, Mark H.
2003. Vegetation, soil, and flooding relationships in a blackwater flood
plain forest. Wetlands. 23 (4): 988-1002.
Hydroperiod is considered the primary determinant of plant species
distribution in temperate flood plain forests, but most studies have focused on
alluvial (sediment-laden) river systems. Few studies have evaluated plant
community relationships in blackwater river systems of the South Atlantic
Coastal Plain of North America. In this study we characterized the soils,
hydroperiod, and vegetation communities, and evaluated relationships between the
physical and chemical environment and plant community structure on the flood
plain of the Coosawhatchie River, a blackwater river in South Carolina, USA. The
soils were similar to previous descriptions of blackwater flood plain soils but
had greater soil N and P availability, substantially greater clay content, and
lower soil silt content than was previously reported for other blackwater river
flood plains. Results of a cluster analysis showed there were five forest
communities on the site, and both short-term (4 years) and long-term (50 years)
flooding records documented a flooding gradient: water tupelo community > swamp
tupelo > laurel oak = overcup oak > mixed oak. The long-term hydrologic record
showed that the flood plain has flooded less frequently from 1994 to present
than in previous decades. Detrended correspondence analysis of environmental and
relative basal area values showed that 27 percent of the variation in overstory
community structure could be explained by the first two axes; however, fitting
the species distributions to the DCA axes using Gaussian regression explained 67
percent of the variation. Axes were correlated with elevation (flooding
intensity) and soil characteristics related to rooting volume and cation
nutrient availability. Our study suggests that flooding is the major factor
affecting community structure, but soil characteristics also may be factors in
community structure in blackwater systems.
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4 Coyle, David R. 2002. Effects of clone, silvicultural, and miticide
treatments on cottonwood leafcurl mite (Acari: Eriophyidae) damage in plantation
Populus. Population Biology. Environmental Entomology. 31 (6):
1000-1008.
Aculops lobuliferus (Keifer) is a little known pest of plantation
Populus spp. which is capable of causing substantial damage. This is the
first documented occurrence of A. lobuliferus in South Carolina. Previous
anecdotal data indicated clonal variation in Populus susceptibility to
A. lobuliferus damage. A damage rating scale was created to monitor mite
damage in 2000-2001 in a short-rotation woody crop plantation; damage
descriptions and seasonal phenology also were recorded. Foliar damage and
terminal mortality were monitored on two Populus deltoides Bartr. clones,
ST66 and S7C15, receiving one of three silvicultural treatments (irrigated [I],
fertilized [F], or I+F), or no treatment (control). In 2001, early season foliar
damage ratings were significantly higher on clone S7C15; however, damage on
clone ST66 was greater after miticide treatments later in the year. Terminal
mortality did not differ between clones. Silvicultural treatment significantly
affected foliar damage levels in both clones. Trees receiving I+F and F
treatments had higher damage ratings than did trees receiving irrigation alone
or the control at times. Clone S7C15 trees receiving fertilizer had
significantly less terminal mortality than their nonfertilized counterparts.
Application of a commercially available miticide significantly reduced A.
lobuliferus damage levels. This study demonstrates that A. lobuliferus
damage levels can be influenced by Populus clone and silvicultural
treatment. Foliar and terminal damage levels observed in this study indicate the
potential for substantial economic impact of A. lobuliferus on plantation
Populus. Although an effective control method may be to select and plant
resistant Populus clones, chemical control remains a viable option.
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5 DeSteven, Diane; Toner, Maureen M. 2004. Vegetation of Upper Coastal
Plain depression wetlands: environmental templates and wetland dynamics within a
landscape framework. Wetlands. 24 (1): 23-42.
Reference wetlands play an important role in efforts to protect wetlands and
assess wetland condition. Because wetland vegetation integrates the influence of
many ecological factors, a useful reference system would identify natural
vegetation types and include models relating vegetation to important regional
geomorphic, hydrologic, and geochemical properties. Across the United States
Atlantic Coastal Plain, depression wetlands are a major hydrogeomorphic class
with diverse characteristics. For 57 functional depression wetlands in the Upper
Coastal Plain of South Carolina, we characterized the principal vegetation types
and used a landscape framework to assess how local (wetland-level) factors and
regional landscape settings potentially influence vegetation composition and
dynamics. Wetland sites were stratified across three Upper Coastal Plain
landscape settings that differ in soils, surface geology, topography, and land
use. We sampled plant composition, measured relevant local variables, and
analyzed historical transitions in vegetative cover types. Cluster analysis
identified six vegetation types, ranging from open-water ponds and emergent
marshes to closed forests. Significant vegetation-environment relationships
suggested environmental "templates" for plant community development. Of all
local factors examined, wetland hydrologic regime was most strongly correlated
with vegetation type, but depression size, soil textural type, and disturbance
history were also significant. Because hydrogeologic settings influence wetland
features, local factors important to vegetation were partly predictable from
landscape setting, and thus wetland types were distributed non randomly across
landscape settings. Analysis of long-term vegetation change indicated relative
stability in some wetlands and succession in others. We developed a
landscape-contingent model for vegetation dynamics, with hydroperiod and fire as
major driving variables. The wetland classification, environmental templates,
and dynamics model provide a reference framework to guide conservation
priorities and suggest possible outcomes of restoration or management.
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6 Lockhart, B.R. 2004. All species have value. Journal of
Forestry. 102(1): 60.
The author discusses the values of American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana),
also known as ironwood, blue-beech, or muscle-wood. He details the benefits
provided by American hornbeam, though frequently referred to as a weed. Lockhart
provides the context in which less desirable species can benefit the forest and
the species for which the land is being managed.
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7 Rummer, Bob. 2004. Managing water quality in wetlands with forestry
BMPs. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution: Focus. 4: 55-66.
Forested wetlands are uniquely critical areas in forest operations that
present special challenges to protect water quality. These locations are a
direct interface between the impacts of forest operations and water. Best
Management Practices (BMPs) are designed to minimize nonpoint source pollution,
but much of the science behind current guidelines is based on an understanding
of erosion processes in upland situations. In wetlands and around temporary
stream crossings, redirection of flow, sedimentation processes, and alterations
of flow velocity become important. Existing forested wetland BMPs appear to
adequately address water quality protection. If existing BMPs became
prescriptive regulations, however, there is potential for misapplication and
unintended ecological impacts.
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8 Skojac, Danny; Devall, Margaret S.; Parresol, Bernard R. 2003.
Additions to the flora of Cleveland County, Arkansas: collections from Moro
Bottoms Natural Area, a State-protected old-growth bottomland hardwood forest.
SIDA. 20 (4): 1731-1736.
An annotated list of 38 additions to the vascular flora of Cleveland County,
Arkansas is presented. The additions presented were collected from Moro Bottoms
Natural Area, a State-protected old-growth bottomland hardwood forest located in
the northwest region of the county.
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9 Smith, Carl G., III; Hamel, Paul B.; Devall, Margaret S.; Schiff,
Nathan M. 2004. Hermit thrush is the first observed dispersal agent for
pondberry (Lindera melissifolia). Castanea. 69 (1): 1-8.
We investigated dispersal opportunities for the endangered pondberry,
Lindera melissifolia (Lauraceae). In 199 hours of observation at 5 fruiting
colonies in the Delta National Forest, Sharkey County, Mississippi, we recorded
82 bird species in the vicinity of a colony. Of these, 12 were observed on
pondberry plants, and two consumed ripe pondberry fruits. Of these, the northern
cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis (Cardinalidae), was a seed predator. The
other, hermit thrush, Catharus guttatus (Turdidae), was a dispersal agent
for the plants. Numbers of fruits declined rapidly after hermit thrushes arrived
in October and no fruits remained by January. Winter behavior of hermit thrushes
constrains their dispersal of seeds to short distances. Without establishment of
additional colonies, pondberry dispersal by birds to unoccupied patches of
suitable forest is unlikely.
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10 United States Department of Agriculture, Southern Research Station.
2002. A guide to finding pondberry [Brochure]. Science Update
SRS-003. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern
Research Station. [Not paged].
This brochure describes pondberry (Lindera melissifolia)
characteristics, distribution, and habitat. It includes images of blooms, fruit,
and mature plants. The brochure provides pictures and descriptions of spicebush
and swamp privet to help the reader distinguish these plants from the endangered
pondberry.
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11 Bartman, Chad E.; Parker, Kathleen C.; Laerm, Joshua; McCay, Timothy
S. 2001. Short-term response of Jordan’s salamander to a shelterwood timber
harvest in Western North Carolina. Physical Geography. 22 (2): 154-166.
[Editor’s note: The USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station sponsored
this research.]
The effects of shelterwood cutting on the abundance of Jordan's salamander (Plethodon
jordani) in Western North Carolina were examined during 1997 and 1998.
Terrestrial salamander assemblages were sampled before, immediately after, and
one year after timber harvest on control and treatment plots to estimate
abundance. We also surveyed salamanders immediately after the harvest along
transects radiating out from cut plots to determine whether cutting triggered
salamander emigration from disturbed plots. Both before and after timber
harvest, the site was strongly dominated by Jordan's salamander. No significant
effects of initial shelterwood cutting on Jordan's salamander abundance were
apparent after timber harvest. Abundance of this species decreased from
pre-cutting to post-cutting sampling on both control and treatment plots, which
likely reflected the drought that characterized both post-cutting sampling
periods, but not pre-cutting sampling. No emigration of salamanders from the cut
plots was detected after timber harvest. These findings suggest that at a stand
scale, shelterwood harvests may pose less of a short-term threat to salamander
populations than clearcutting, but more study is necessary to assess broad-scale
tradeoffs between harvest yield and biological impacts associated with
alternative timber harvest methods.
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12 Burt, Tim; Swank, Wayne. 2002. Forests or floods? Geography
Review. 15 (5): 37-41.
This article shows how experiments at the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory in
North Carolina have deepened our understanding of the ways in which forested
catchments respond to land use change. Drainage-basin hydrology is a popular
topic. Human impact on stream discharge as a result of changes in vegetation
cover is an important theme. [Editor’s note: Wayne Swank, retired Southern
Research Station scientist, co-authored this paper.]
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13 Callaham, Mac A., Jr.; Hendrix, Paul F.; Phillips, Ross J. 2003.
Occurrence of an exotic earthworm (Amynthas agrestis) in undisturbed
soils of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, USA. Pedobiologia. 74: 466-470.
This study documents the occurrence of an aggressive invasive earthworm
species in undisturbed forest soils of the Southern Appalachian Mountains of
northern Georgia, USA. Earthworms were sorted from samples collected in pitfall
traps that had been set in mature, mesic oak-hickory forests in remote, high
elevation locations across northern Georgia. Specimens were continuously
collected in these traps over the course of the summer and autumn of 1993, and
more than 600 earthworms were collected from 35 different trapping sites. There
were at least 9 different earthworm taxa collected during the study, including
three species not native to North American soils (Amynthas agrestis,
Octolasion tyrtaeum, and O. cyaneum). The majority of earthworms
collected in the study were A. agrestis. Because large numbers of A.
agrestis were trapped at a single site, we made measurements of individuals
in an attempt to examine the reproductive status of A. agrestis at that
site over time. Small numbers of A. agrestis were trapped in July and
August, peak abundance occurred in September, and there was a decline in
abundance through November, to zero trapped in December. Sexually mature adults
were first trapped in small numbers in late August, but made up 80 percent of
the total population by mid September, and 100 percent of the population in
October and November.
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14 Coleman, David C.; Hunter, Mark D.; Hutton, John [and others]. 2002.
Soil respiration from four aggrading forested watersheds measured over a
quarter century. Forest Ecology and Management. 157: 247-253. [Editor’s
note: Lloyd Swift, Jr., retired Southern Research Station scientist, co-authored
this paper.]
Soil respiration was measured in four aggrading, forested second-growth
watersheds in the Southern Appalachians using an identical method (alkali
absorption) at intervals 23 and 24 years apart. Seasonal trends were similar,
with mid-summer maxima and winter minima. Amounts of carbon dioxide evolved were
higher in the recent measurements (1995) compared to the earlier ones
(1971-1972), despite similar soil water and temperature regimes. The overall
trend across all four watersheds may reflect changes in organic matter levels
and subsequent root growth.
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15 Hamel, Paul B.; Dawson, Deanna K.; Keyser, Patrick D. 2004. How we
can learn more about the cerulean warbler (Dendroica cerulea). The
Auk. 121 (1): 7-14.
A sense of urgency attends the study of species of concern, like the cerulean
warbler (Dendroica cerulea). Sharpened by Robbins and others in 1992 and
Hamel in 1992, such concern prompted the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish
and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to commission a status assessment of the cerulean
warbler. Shortly after the status review was published, a petition was delivered
to the USFWS urging that the species be listed as "threatened" under the
Endangered Species Act of 1973. The account of the cerulean warbler in the
Birds of North America series also appeared that year. Substantial attention
is currently focused on the species, and the Cerulean Warbler Technical Group (CWTG)
was formed in 2002.
This article’s overview consists of two parts. The first attempts to
summarize current knowledge and suggest productive avenues to pursue in our
efforts to understand the biology and conserve populations of cerulean warblers.
The second part summarizes the structure and priorities of the CWTG, an
organization that can spur and facilitate research and conservation action
directed at this species and serve as a model for conservation of other forest
birds.
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16 Riedel, Mark S.; Vose, James M. 2002. Forest road erosion, sediment
transport, and model validation in the Southern Appalachians. In:
Proceedings: second federal interagency hydrologic modeling conference. Reston,
VA: United States Interagency Advisory Committee on Water Data, Subcommittee on
Hydrology: 1-12.
The Conasauga River Watershed, located in northern Georgia and southern
Tennessee, has one of the most diverse aquatic ecosystems in this region and is
currently being considered for designation as a Wild and Scenic River. The
Conasauga River also serves as a major source of drinking water for numerous
large cities. Due to the close proximity with the cities of Knoxville, Atlanta,
and Chattanooga, intensive public usage, and the high quality of this aquatic
resource, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service has
designated the Conasauga River as one of the twelve large-scale watershed
restoration projects in the Nation. This is warranted as the Conasauga River is
experiencing excessive sedimentation from the erosion of private agricultural
lands, streambanks, and forest roads. We are working with an erosion model, the
Sediment Tool, to facilitate decision-making in the restoration of forest roads.
The Sediment Tool and its parent model, the Watershed Characterization System
(WCS), were developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The
Sediment Tool is a spatially explicit, GIS-based, finite element, lumped
parameter model which generates estimates of soil erosion, sediment routing, and
sediment yield. We applied WCS along segments of 13 mountain roads in the
Conasauga Watershed. The segments provide replication of road types under a
variety of usage levels, road base materials, and slopes. We sampled overland
flow from each segment for total suspended solids (TSS) and surveyed all
pertinent road characteristics. While we were able to qualitatively calibrate
the model, predicted sediment yields were typically much greater than observed
data. Model results improved with digital elevation model (DEM) and
computational grid resolution. Error analysis indicated that model sensitivity
is limited by the governing equations within the model and the resolution of the
input data. The model currently employs the universal soil loss equation (USLE)
to estimate soil erosion and empirical sediment yield equations to transport
sediment. These empirical equations were not developed for application on
aggregate road surfaces. DEM resolution will also present problems in routing
the sediment to streams. Streams in the study areas are only one to three meters
wide. Flood plains adjacent to these streams are typically four or five meters
wide and frequently trap sediment-laden runoff before it reaches the streams.
Current efforts to improve upon the model include an adaptation of the
process-based Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model and attainment of
finer resolution DEM data that will more accurately represent the road surfaces.
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17 Vose, James M.; Geron, Chris; Lockaby, B. Graeme [and others]. 2002.
Restoration effects on biogeochemistry and aquatic systems [Abstract].
In: Gardiner, Emile S.; Breland, Lynne J., comp. Proceedings of the IUFRO
conference on restoration of boreal and temperate forests-documenting forest
restoration knowledge and practices in boreal and temperate ecosystems.
Frederiksberg, Denmark: Danish Centre for Forest, Landscape, and Planning:
122-123.
The abstract elaborates on the acceleration of restoration efforts to
mitigate or enhance key components of watershed ecosystems that regulate
biogeochemical cycling and associated aquatic components. The authors note that
biogeochemical processes are complex because they operate at a variety of
spatial and temporal scales (e.g., near-instantaneous soil chemical reactions
vs. bedrock weathering). Restoration of biogeochemical processes and aquatic
systems is inherently scale dependent. A conceptual and analytical framework
must be developed to assess thresholds of response and recovery at a variety of
spatial and temporal scales. This conceptual and analytical framework has
important implications for restoration, providing a tool for prioritizing the
location and intensity of restoration efforts and a framework for measuring
success. The resistance and resilience model of ecosystem response to
disturbance is one potential conceptual framework for evaluating restoration
success for enhancing biogeochemical cycles and aquatic systems. The model can
be used as a conceptual construct for evaluating spatial and temporal aspects of
current ecosystem condition, desired ecosystem condition, and systems response.
While the resistance-resilience model provides the conceptual framework,
analytical tools-modeling, GIS, and remote sensing-are required to quantify spatial and temporal responses.
18 Coyle, David R.; Amrine, James W., Jr. 2004. New collection records
and host range of the cottonwood leafcurl mite, Tetra lobulifera (Kiefer)
Acari: Eriophyidae), in the USA. International Journal of Acarology. 30 (1):
3-8.
The cottonwood leafcurl mite, Aculops lobuliferus Keifer, 1961, is
renamed as Tetra lobulifera (Keifer). This eriophyid mite is capable of
inflicting substantial damage on plantation- and native-grown cottonwoods (Populus
spp.). We report new State and County collection records from the Eastern and
Northwestern United States, as well as new host records, including Populus
grandidentata Michx. (big-tooth aspen), for this pest. This updates the
established geographic range of T. lobulifera, and demonstrates its
ability to utilize other host plants in the genus Populus for
development.
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19 Kilgo, John C.; Moorman, Christopher E. 2003. Patterns of cowbird
parasitism in the Southern Atlantic Coastal Plain and Piedmont. Wilson
Bulletin. 115 (3): 277-284.
Until recently, little information was available on patterns of brood
parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) in the Southeastern
United States, a region into which cowbirds expanded their range only during the
last half of the 20th century and where their abundance is relatively low. We
compiled parasitism data from several published and unpublished studies
conducted in Georgia and South Carolina from 1993-2000 to examine levels of
brood parasitism and determine frequent host species. The combined dataset
included 1,372 nests of 24 species reported in the literature to have been
parasitized by cowbirds. The parasitism rate on all species combined was 8.2
percent. Considering only those species that served as hosts in these studies (n
= 12), the parasitism rate was 9.3 percent. Seven species were parasitized at
rates ³ 10 percent.
Based on the extent of parasitism (among studies and locations), their relative
abundance, and the sample size of nests, prairie warblers (Dendroica discolor),
hooded warblers (Wilsonia citrina), yellow-breasted chats (Icteria
virens), and indigo buntings (Passerina cyanea), all shrub nesters,
appear to be the most important cowbird hosts in the region. Parasitism on some
species reported as frequent hosts elsewhere was extremely low or not
documented. We conclude that the impact of brood parasitism on the seasonal
fecundity of hosts in the region probably is minimal, but additional work is
warranted on species of concern, such as the painted bunting (Passerina ciris).
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20 Loomis, John; Wohlgemuth, Pete; Gonzalez-Caban, Armando; English,
Donald. 2003. Economic benefits of reducing fire-related sediment in
southwestern fire-prone ecosystems. Water Resources Research. 39 (9): WES
3-1-3-8.
A multiple regression analysis of fire interval and resulting sediment yield
(controlling for relief ratio, rainfall, etc.) indicates that reducing the fire
interval from the current average 22 years to a prescribed fire interval of 5
years would reduce sediment yield by 2 million cubic meters in the 86.2 square
kilometer Southern California watershed adjacent to and including the Angeles
National Forest. This would have direct cost savings to Los Angeles County
Public Works in terms of reduced debris basin clean out of $24 million. The net
present values of both 5- and 10-year prescribed fire intervals are positive.
However, given other multiple use objectives of the USDA Forest Service, a
10-year prescribed fire interval may be more optimal than a 5-year fire
interval.
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21 Owubah, Charles E.; Le Master, Dennis C.; Bowker, J.M.; Lee, John G.
2001. Forest tenure systems and sustainable forest management: the case of
Ghana. Forest Ecology and Management. 149: 253-264.
Adoption and implementation of sustainable forestry practices are essential
for sustaining forest resources, yet development of effective politics and
strategies to achieve them are problematic. Part of the difficulty stems from a
limited understanding of the interaction between obtrusive forest policies and
indigenous tenure systems and how this affects sustainable forest management.
This study uses a market framework to analyze the relationships between
individual components of forest tenure and sustainable forestry practices. Data
from 21 rural communities in the forest belt of Ghana are used to evaluate
theoretical propositions. Logistic regression models are used to predict
willingness to engage in the preservation of indigenous, economically valuable
trees, conservation of natural forests, and establishment of forest plantations.
The number of farmers engaged in sustainable forestry practices is small. While
most tenure variables behaved as expected, security of tenure and exclusiveness
are less important to the practice of sustainable forestry. Farmers, in their
role as potential producers, perceive preservation of indigenous, economically
valuable trees and conservation of forests as having a net cost to them,
especially if compensation is not paid for damage to crops resulting from
logging operations of concessionaires. Current statistics in Ghana provide few
incentives for farmers to engage in sustainable practices. The study also
provides recommendations for forest tenure systems to function effectively.
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22 Riitters, Kurt H.; Wickham, James D.; Coulston, John W. 2004. A
preliminary assessment of Montreal process indicators of forested fragmentation
for the United States. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 91: 257-276.
As part of the United States 2003 National Report on Sustainable Forests,
four metrics of forest fragmentation-patch size, edge amount, inter-patch
distance, and patch contrast-were measured within 137 744 non-overlapping 5625
ha analysis units on land-cover maps derived from satellite imagery for the 48
conterminous States. The perimeter of a typical forest patch is about 100 m from
the perimeter of its nearest neighbor, except when there is not much forest, in
which case that distance is 200 to 300 m. A typical analysis unit has from 10 to
40 percent as much forest edge as it could possibly have, given the amount of
forest present. Most analysis units contain a large number of patches that are
less than one hectare in size, and about 10 percent contain one or more 2000 to
5000 ha patches. Forest often defines the background landscape, and patch
contrast is generally either very high or very low in eastern regions and
intermediate in western regions. Many research needs were identified by this
experimental analysis of available data and metrics.
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23 Wade, Timothy G.; Wickham, James D.; Nash, Maliha S. [and others].
2003. A comparison of vector and raster GIS methods for calculating landscape
metrics used in environmental assessments. Photogrammetric Engineering &
Remote Sensing. 69 (12): 1399-1405. [Editor’s note: Southern Station scientist
Kurt H. Riitters co-authored this paper.]
GIS-based measurements that combine native raster and native vector data are
commonly used in environmental assessments. Most of these measurements can be
calculated using either raster or vector data formats and processing methods.
Raster processes are more commonly used because they can be significantly faster
computationally than vector, but error is introduced in converting vector data
to raster. This conversion error has been widely studied and quantified, but the
impact on environmental assessment results has not been investigated. We
examined four GIS-based measurements commonly used in environmental assessments
for approximately 1000 watersheds in the State of Maryland and Washington, D.C.
Each metric was calculated using vector and raster methods, and estimated values
were compared using a paired t-test, Spearman rank correlation, and cluster
analyses. Paired t-tests were used to determine the statistical significance of
quantitative differences between methods, and Spearman rank correlation and
cluster analyses were used to evaluate the impact of the differences on
environmental assessments. Paired t-test results indicated significant
quantitative differences between methods for three of the four metrics. However,
Spearman ranks and cluster analyses indicated that the quantitative differences
would not affect environmental assessment results. Spearman rank correlations
between vector and raster values were greater than 0.98 for all comparisons.
Cluster analyses resulted in identical assignment for 88 percent to over 98
percent of watersheds analyzed among vector and various raster methods.
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24 Rudis, Victor A. 2003. Comprehensive regional resource assessments
and multipurpose uses of forest inventory and analysis data, 1976-2001: a
review. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-70. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 129 p.
Reported is a compilation of over 1,400 literature citations and a review of
selected subjects that constitute an integrated knowledge base for comprehensive
forest resource assessments with regional, field sample-based forest inventory
data. The focus of the report is on nontraditional and novel technical uses tied
to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Inventory and
Analysis (FIA) field surveys published or in press between 1976 and July 2001.
Briefly noted are pioneering studies that link FIA data with air pollution,
biomass, dead wood, esthetics, geographic context (geographic information
systems and satellite remote sensing), nearby nonforest influences (operability,
roads), owner attitudes, range (agroforesty and livestock use), recreation,
tropical inventories, water quality (soils and hydrology), vegetative habitat
typing, and wildlife. All known M.S. theses and Ph.D. dissertations associated
with FIA data since 1976 are included, regardless of subject matter. Also
incorporated are citations of collected works concerning integrated assessments
and multidisciplinary surveys and representative citations associated with
economics, global climate change, remote sensing, sampling designs, tropical
forest resources, and traditional timber resource assessments. The literature
review suggests assessments are “comprehensive” for issues in selected regions
and chosen resource assessments. Multidiscipline involvement, multipurpose uses
of nontraditional data, and analysis of resources other than timber are
variable. Nontraditional measurements and models, with some exceptions, have
been provincially rather than nationally applicable and not well coordinated
among regions. Recommended are ways to accelerate progress toward comprehensive
assessments and cost-effective multipurpose uses.
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25 Bowker, J.M.; Newman, David H.; Warren, Robert J.; Henderson, David W.
2003. Estimating the economic value of lethal versus nonlethal deer control
in suburban communities. Society and Natural Resources. 16: 143-158.
Negative people/wildlife interaction has raised public interest in wildlife
population control. We present a contingent valuation study of alternative deer
control measures considered for Hilton Head Island, SC. Lethal control using
sharpshooters and nonlethal immuno-contraception techniques are evaluated. A
mail-back survey was used to collect resident willingness-to-pay (WTP)
information for reduced deer densities and consequent property damage. Residents
are unwilling to spend more for the nonlethal alternative. The estimated WTP
appears theoretically consistent as increasing levels of abatement for both
lethal and nonlethal alternatives demonstrate diminishing marginal benefits.
Over 60 percent of respondents bid zero regardless of control measure,
suggesting a referendum would fail. However, only half of these zero bidders
expressed no problem with deer, while the other half bid zero because of
distaste for the control alternative, safety concerns, or doubt about
effectiveness. Inclusion of these responses as legitimate zero bids depressed
mean WTP estimates from 22 to 31 percent.
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26 Coleman, M.D.; Coyle, D.R.; Blake, J. [and others]. 2004.
Production of short-rotation woody crops grown with a range of nutrient and
water availability: establishment report and first-year responses. Gen.
Tech. Rep. SRS-72. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest
Service, Southern Research Station. 21 p.
Many researchers have studied the productivity potential of intensively
managed forest plantations. However, we need to learn more about the effects of
fundamental growth processes on forest productivity; especially the influence of
above- and belowground resource acquisition and allocation. This report presents
installation, establishment, and first-year results of four tree species (two
cottonwood clones, sycamore, sweetgum, and loblolly pine) grown with fertilizer
and irrigation treatments. At this early stage of development, irrigation and
fertilization were additive only in cottonwood clone ST66 and sweetgum. Leaf
area development was directly related to stem growth, but root production was
not always consistent with shoot responses, suggesting that allocation of
resources varies among treatments. We will evaluate the consequences of these
early responses on resource availability in subsequent growing seasons. This
information will be used to: (1) optimize fiber and bioenergy production; (2)
understand carbon sequestration; and (3) develop innovative applications such as
phytoremediation; municipal, industrial, and agricultural wastes management; and
protection of soil, air, and water resources.
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27 Connor, Kristina F., ed. 2004. Proceedings of
the 12th biennial southern silvicultural research conference. Gen. Tech.
Rep. SRS-71. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,
Southern Research Station. 594. p.
Ninety-two papers and 36 poster summaries address a range of issues affecting
southern forests. Papers are grouped in 15 sessions that include wildlife
ecology; fire ecology; natural pine management; forest health; growth and yield;
upland hardwoods-natural regeneration; hardwood intermediate treatments;
longleaf pine; pine plantation silviculture; site amelioration and productivity;
pine nutrition; pine planting, stocking, spacing; ecophysiology; bottomland
hardwoods-natural regeneration; and bottomland hardwoods-artificial
regeneration.
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28 English, Donald B.K.; Kocis, Susan M.; Arnold, J. Ross [and others].
2003. The effectiveness of visitation proxy variables in improving recreation
use estimates for the USDA Forest Service. Journal for Nature Conservation.
11: 332-338.
In estimating recreation visitation at the national forest level in the
United States, annual counts of a number of types of visitation proxy measures
were used. The intent was to improve the overall precision of the visitation
estimate by employing the proxy counts. The precision of visitation estimates at
sites that had proxy information versus those that did not is examined. Results
show that using visitation proxy information reduces sampling needs by about 25
percent. Characteristics of the types of visitation proxy information that
performed best and worst are discussed.
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29 Henderson, David W.; Warren, Robert J.; Newman, David H. [and others].
2000. Human perceptions before and after a 50 percent reduction in an urban
deer herd’s density. Wildlife Society Bulletin. 28 (4): 911-918. [Southern
Station scientist J. Michael Bowker co-authored this paper.]
Overabundant white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations in
urban and suburban areas can be controversial because of potential damage to
landscape vegetation, deer-vehicle collisions, and fear over transmission of
tick-borne diseases. Herd reduction is often proposed to solve these problems;
however, the ability of human residents to accurately perceive a herd reduction
has not been demonstrated. We used mail surveys to study effects of a 50 percent
localized deer herd reduction on the perceptions of residents in 2 areas (one
control, one treated) on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, over 2 time periods
(before vs. after herd reduction). Residents in the treated area perceived a
decrease (p £
0.00l) in the relative abundance of deer using their yards after the herd
reduction; residents in the control area (where no deer were removed) did not.
Residents in the treated area reported seeing about 50 percent fewer deer after
the herd reduction (p < 0.00l); residents in the control area saw about
the same number of deer. Nonpermanent residents did not perceive the herd
reduction that was noticed by permanent residents. Residents in both the control
and treated areas wanted to see fewer deer in their yard in the future.
Residents did not report a decrease in the money required to replace plants
damaged by deer during our one-year study. Our results indicate that costs to
implement deer-herd reduction programs in urban and suburban areas may be
justified based on the benefits perceived by the residents.
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30 Johnson, Cassandra Y.; Bowker, J.M. 2004. African-American wildland
memories. Environmental Ethics. 26: 57-75.
Collective memory can be used conceptually to examine African-American
perceptions of wildlands and black interaction with such places. The
middle-American view of wildlands frames these terrains as refuges-pure and
simple, sanctified places distinct from the profanity of human modification.
However, wild, primitive areas do not exist in the minds of all Americans as
uncomplicated or uncontaminated places. Three labor-related institutions-forest
labor, plantation agriculture, and sharecropping-and terrorism and lynching have
impacted negatively on black perceptions of wildlands, producing ambivalence
toward such places among African Americans.
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31 Kabir, Mohammed F.; Schmoldt, Daniel L.; Araman, Philip A. [and
others]. 2003. Classifying defects in pallet stringers by ultrasonic
scanning. Wood and Fiber Science. 35 (3): 341-350.
Detecting and classifying defects are required to grade and sort pallet
parts. Use of quality parts can extend the life cycle of pallets and can reduce
long-term cost. An investigation has been carried out to detect and classify
defects in yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) and red oak (Quercus
rubra L.) stringers using ultrasonic scanning. Data were collected for sound
and unsound knots, bark pockets, decay, holes, and wane using rolling
transducers in a pitch-catch arrangement. Data from eight ultrasonic
variables-energy, pulse length, time of flight (TOF) amplitude, TOF energy, TOF
centroid, energy value, energy pulse value, and peak frequency-were used to
classify defects. Three different types of classifiers were used to categorize
defects-a multi-layer perceptron network (MLP), a probabilistic neural network (PNN),
and a k-nearest neighbor (KNN) classifier. Mean values for the energy variables
demonstrated statistically significant differences between clear wood and
defects and among defect types. Mean values for the TOF variables did not differ
significantly between clear wood and knots. All three types of classifiers were
able to distinguish defected from clear wood in oak with accuracies above 95
percent; accuracies for yellow-poplar were somewhat lower for the MLP and PNN
classifiers. Among the defect classes, decay exhibited the highest recognition
rate for both yellow-poplar and oak. Wane and holes in oak were readily confused
owing to their common loss of transducer contact. Overall accuracy at the
data-point level varied from 69 to 78 percent. Simple post-processing operations
are expected to improve that substantially. Based on accuracy performance alone,
the MLP and KNN appear equally preferable for this task.
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32 Schulze, Dana Madsen; Walker, Joan L.; Spira, Timothy P. 2002.
Germination and seed bank studies of Macbridea alba (Lamiaceae), a
federally threatened plant. Castanea. 67 (3): 280-289.
Macbridea alba (Lamiaceae) is a federally threatened plant endemic to
Florida. Seedlings are rarely observed in natural populations, but seed
production has been documented. We assessed the germinability of dry-stored
seeds and of experimentally buried seeds, and sampled soil to detect a
persistent seed bank. More than 20 percent of recorded seeds germinated prior to
collection, either within the calyx (viviparous seedlings) or after dispersal
into the collection bag. This pre-collection germination indicated that a
significant percentage of seeds lack innate dormancy. An estimated 87 percent of
dry-stored seeds were germinable for 6 months following dispersal, but viability
of dry-stored and of buried seeds was negligible after 1 year. No seedlings
emerged from soil that was field collected just prior to seed dispersal,
indicating no persistent seed bank. Seed viability does not appear to limit
establishment, but dry conditions coincident with likely autumn establishment
may limit seedling safe site availability.
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33 So, Chi-Leung; Via, Brian K.; Groom, Leslie H. [and others]. 2004.
Near infrared spectroscopy in the forest products industry. Forest Products
Journal. 54 (3): 6-16.
Improving manufacturing efficiency and increasing product worth requires the
right combination of actions throughout the manufacturing process. Many
innovations have been developed over the last several decades to achieve these
goals. Innovations typically work their way backwards in the manufacturing
process, with an increasing level of monitoring occurring at the end of a
production line. There exists, however, an ever-increasing array of tools
available to forest products manufacturers that allow rapid assessment of
material and product variables throughout the manufacturing process. A
technology that shows great potential in all facets of material assessment is
near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. The potential for NIR technologies has not
gone unnoticed by the wood research community and there are scores of national
and international laboratories developing appropriate applications. The rapid
assessment of solid wood properties using NIR spectra is a fast-growing field
that has broad implications in relation to wood quality and, ultimately, tree
improvement. NIR as a means of online monitoring during the manufacturing
process has also spurred many laboratories to examine potential applications for
wood composites. It is probable that this type of monitoring will lead to
increase in efficiency and profits.
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34 Wilson, A.D.; Lester, D.G.; Oberle, C.S. 2004. Development of
conductive polymer analysis for the rapid detection and identification of
phytopathogenic microbes. Phytopathology. 94: 419-431.
Conductive polymer analysis, a type of electronic aroma detection technology,
was evaluated for its efficacy in the detection, identification, and
discrimination of plant-pathogenic microorganisms on standardized media and in
diseased plant tissues. The method is based on the acquisition of a diagnostic
electronic fingerprint derived from multisensor responses to distinct mixtures
of volatile metabolites released into sampled headspace. Protocols were
established to apply this technology specifically to plant disease diagnosis.
This involved development of standardized cultural methods, new instrument
architecture for sampling, sample preparation, prerun procedures, run parameters
and schedules, recognition files and libraries, data manipulations, and
validation protocols for interpretations of results. The collective output from
a 32-sensor array produced unique electronic aroma signature patterns diagnostic
of individual microbial species in culture and specific pathogen-host
combinations associated with diseased plants. The level of discrimination
applied in identifications of unknowns was regulated by confidence level and
sensitivity settings during construction of application-specific reference
libraries for each category of microbe or microbe-host combination identified.
Applications of this technology were demonstrated for the diagnosis of specific
disease systems, including bacterial and fungal diseases and decays of trees;
for host identifications; and for determinations of levels of infection and
relatedness between microbial species. Other potential applications to plant
pathology are discussed with some advantages and limitations for each type of
diagnostic application.
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